Stay compliant: Explore new labor laws and resources

Logo
Various workers

Wage and Hour Bulletin

January 2024

Stay compliant:  Explore new labor laws and resources

Meatpacking worker

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has created new resources related to laws that went into effect this year, including a webpage about keeping workers safe in meatpacking and poultry processing facilities and another webpage related to a new law ensuring only skilled workers are hired at oil refineries.


Close-up image of a breast pump.

News release:  Retail chain agrees to pay back-wages, damages and penalties after investigation finds company violated protections for nursing employees

The Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry recently entered into a consent order with Menard, Inc. (Menards), requiring the retail chain to comply with Minnesota law that directs employers to provide lactating workers with reasonable paid break time to express milk. The agreement also requires Menards to pay back-wages and compensatory damages to an employee for deducting wages from her pay for taking breaks to express milk and retaliating against her for asserting her workplace rights.


Employee or independent contractor?

The U.S. Department of Labor published a rule, effective March 11, 2024, to address how to analyze whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Read more about the independent contractor final rule.


Wage and Hour Bulletin archive

Find past editions of The Wage and Hour Bulletin at dli.mn.gov/business/employment-practices/minnesota-wage-and-hour-bulletin.


Questions?

Labor Standards serves the people of Minnesota by providing
information about the state's wage, hour and employment laws.

Phone:  651-284-5075 or 800-342-5354
Email:  dli.laborstandards@state.mn.us
Website:  dli.mn.gov/laborlaw